


The Simple Pleasure of Saying True Things

by Ephemeral_Joy



Category: Sweet Magnolias (TV)
Genre: 4+1 Things, Baseball, Childhood Sweethearts, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Love, POV Outsider, Small Towns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 08:01:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25559995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ephemeral_Joy/pseuds/Ephemeral_Joy
Summary: Four times the people around them notice a shift in their relationship, and the one time Tyler himself does
Relationships: Annie Sullivan/Tyler "Ty" Townsend
Comments: 10
Kudos: 114





	The Simple Pleasure of Saying True Things

**Author's Note:**

> because my country went in semi-lockdown again so this is how i cope. enjoy. 
> 
> title by the amazing poet Pablo Neruda | edited | not beta'd | rated T for curse words  
> you can find me on tumblr @lydias--stiles where i'd love to chat :)

**1\. KYLE**

Kyle stormed downstairs at the sound of glasses clicking and the smell of fresh guacamole. Margarita Night wasn’t just for his mom and her friends, but also for him. Annie always came over! Plus, Tyler usually went over to Wharton’s or a friend, so he wouldn’t ridicule them for watching those cheesy Disney Channel shows with Katie. 

He quickly greeted the women and passed through the kitchen, only to halt in the living room at the sight in front of him. 

Why was Tyler glued to Annie’s side? 

After the whole ordeal of Annie rejecting him, they’ve been good again. Kyle had become great friends with Nellie and was entirely focused on making the school play even better than last time. Sophomore year would be his year. But sometimes when things like  _ this  _ happened, a part at the back of his mind that lurked and snarled got upset that Tyler one-upped him. It was dumb. He didn’t even like Annie anymore. And Tyler  _ definitely  _ did not like Annie. Right? 

Katie was transfixed to the tv screen, watching “The Dragon Prince” (Finally! A different show!) as Annie and Tyler were looming over his phone screen. His arm was slung over the couch, nearly grazing her shoulder. Her legs were tucked underneath her, knees touching his thigh. Closer than normal. 

‘Hey Annie,’ he prompted. She barely looked up. He joined them on the couch, Katie grabbing onto his arm as a jump scare happened. 

‘Hey Kyle,’ she muttered. 

Tyler nudged her. ‘Okay, look, here comes the funny part!’ And then they bursted into laughter, Annie’s head falling against his as something on the screen made a weird noise. Suddenly he didn’t even know why he even liked Annie in the first place if her humour aligned with  _ Tyler’s _ . He wasn’t really the next John Mulaney. 

‘Shh! Guys!’, Katie whined, raising the volume. 

Annie glanced at the girl, apologetic. ‘Sorry Katie.’

‘What’re y’all watching?’ Kyle craned his neck to get a glimpse. 

‘Just this video Gabe sent to the group chat.’

‘Play it again,’ Annie giggled. As he did, Kyle noticed Tyler wasn’t dressed to go anywhere. He was in a Bulldogs crewneck and grey sweatpants and barefoot - seemingly not even considering meeting up with friends. Since when did Tyler skip on being out of the house to spend time with Annie? They were friends, but not _that_ close. Then again, he had been so focused on the school play that perhaps things have shifted without him noticing. Laertes _was_ a very intense role.

But if the drama of last year was all true, did that mean Annie had a crush on Tyler? Was that it? 

Annie wiped a smudge of guacamole from Tyler’s chin and smiled sweetly as he rolled his eyes. They looked like a couple. It didn’t even look like they were nine months apart (which was three years in high school terms). 

Kyle focused back on the cartoon as Katie gasped, every so often glancing at the duo from the corner of his eye, both blissfully unaware as they whispered and laughed in their own bubble. When she went to the toilet, he gave Tyler a look. The latter quirked a brow.

‘What’re you looking at?’

Kyle grinned. ‘Nothing.’

Tyler puffed. ‘Idiot.’

He couldn’t help himself. ‘You do look a little like  _ whipped  _ cream…’ Kyle laughed as Tyler chucked a pillow at him. 

‘Oh, so you’re a comedian now? Who’s the inspiration this time?’ Kyle noticed how despite the dig, Tyler looked abashed. Almost as if he got caught stealing a cookie from the cookie jar.

Kyle kept his hand up in defensive. ‘Just a simple observation.’

‘The egg’s cracking!’, Katie gasped, unmoved by teenage drama. Annie came back, nearly falling into Tyler’s lap. Neither seemed nervous but it did unnerve Kyle. Weren’t they afraid people would wag their tongues about their behaviour? If nothing was going on and they were just great friends, wouldn’t it annoy them people thought differently? 

Tyler whispered something in her ear as his phone lit up. She nodded and he bend over the couch. ‘Mom, is it cool if Annie and I go to Wharton’s? Our friends are there.’

Before mom could reply, Dana Sue perked up. ‘Bring her home before midnight! Annie, no drinking!’

‘I know, mom!’

‘Thanks Dana Sue.’

Mom huffed. ‘I guess my opinion doesn’t matter anymore.’ But the nonchalant smile on her face said everything: they were free to go. The pair sprung upright, chucking on shoes and jackets and yelling a quick goodbye over there shoulder as they slammed the door behind them. Kyle heard Helen gush about how great friends they’ve become and he forced himself to not make a smart reply. 

He may be a little younger, but he knew what a crush looked like. He also noticed how ridiculously oblivious they looked. Depending on how they played their cards, it would either have a fantastical third act or a tragical ending. 

‘Kyle! Kyle! Look!’

For now, he’d rather be Katie’s older brother than worry about relationship drama. For now, he’d enjoy being a fifteen year old theatre kid. 

(He’d keep an eye out though. After all, he loved a bit of drama.)

**2\. GABE**

The locker room was filled with hyped up, adrenaline raising as the minutes to the game trickled closer. Gabe was trying to keep his nerves at bay. During last practise, he fumbled the ball a lot. He couldn’t afford to fuck up, not this late in the season. 

Tyler sat next to him, fully dressed and grinning at his phone. He was texting someone (he had a guess who it was). Regardless, he needed a little pep talk from Tyler for a second. 

‘Ty.’

‘Hm?’

‘I’m gonna fuck up.’ 

He looked up, confused. ‘Why? You’re a great catcher.’

‘Then why do I always drop the ball?’

Tyler’s phone buzzed. It was definitely Annie; she always used punctuation in her texts. During the summer between junior and senior year, Annie joined them on a lot of trips and became close friends with their group. The lake, the fair, the festivals, dozens of Wharton nights, yet it never felt like she was third wheeling. She had very easily inserted herself in their lives and it made sense. She balanced them out with her common sense and quick wit. Moreover, she was far more enjoyable company than the biting CeCe. 

Gabe liked her. And he was pretty sure Ty  _ really  _ liked her. She just had to be in the same room and he was grinning like a fool. 

‘Because it’s practise, duh.’ When Gabe threw his shirt at him, because what the fuck was that kind of pep talk, he laughed. ‘Dude, when it comes to it, you always perform.’ 

‘You’re terrible at this. Where’s doctor Phil?’

His phone went off again. Tyler suddenly jumped up. ‘Your obsession with Doctor Phil is weird. Just find Maddox or Harlan.’ He speed-walked to the door, leaving his phone. ‘I’ll be right back!’ 

Gabe picked up Ty’s phone as the door slammed shut, seeing the notifications of Annie texting him. Behind her name was a blue heart. Since when was he so mushy? At least this confirmed his suspicions. 

Tyler Townsend was, as a Southern lady would say,  _ smitten _ . Smitten for his childhood best friend. How predictable. The best friend of his little brother Kamal was a girl named Naomi and he wouldn’t be surprised if that ended up being something more in five years or something. 

Ten minutes later, Coach Maddox and Harlan walked inside the locker room from their office, silencing the troupe of boys. 

‘Alright boys.’ Harlan clapped his hands. ‘We’re gonna go over the plays one more time and- where’s Tyler?’

Coach Maddox gave Gabe an inquisitive look. Yikes. How could he explain in front of all the guys Tyler had to see his “crush” for a second? Jackson would never live it down. 

‘I’ll uh- go get him,’ Gabe stuttered, rushing into the hallway. Outside, the buzz of the audience was building as the start of the game came closer and closer. Where the fuck was Tyler? 

Then he heard a giggle. At the end of the hallway, almost covered by an alcove that held a water fountain, was a grinning Tyler looming over a giggling Annie. He was chasing after her as she took photos of him close to his face. His hands grabbed her waist, holding her still as she tried to slip away again. Something from the look in their eyes made him feel like he was intruding, but because the game was about to start and everyone was waiting, he called them out. Sorry bro.

‘Tyler!’ 

His head jerked up, hands leaving Annie’s body a beat too late. Gabe quirked a brow.  _ Smitten _ . Annie waved, awkward, as her cheeks flushed red. 

‘Coach is waiting.’

Gabe watched as Ty bid Annie goodbye with a quick hug, her whispering something in his ear that made him pause. 

‘Come on, dude.’

Finally, Tyler followed him, Gabe pushing him inside where everyone was impatiently waiting. Coach Maddox raised his hands with a huff, annoyed. ‘Where were you, Tyler?’

‘Sorry,’ he muttered.

Coach took a deep breath, focusing back on the group. ‘Okay. Let’s go to the dugout. I’ll give the last notes there. Tyler, we cannot afford you being late.’

‘Sorry, coach.’

As the teammates filed out to the field, Gabe grabbed Ty’s arm. ‘Really, dude? Flirting with Annie right before a game?’

Tyler shrugged him off. ‘I wasn’t flirting. We’re friends.'

Gabe gave him a look, similar to the first time Tyler denied his feelings towards Annie. ‘You and I are friends. What you have with Annie is different.’

‘Shouldn’t you be focusing on catching?’, Ty bit. Aight, okay. Touchy subject. Gabe nodded, uncharacteristically quiet as he sat down in the dugout, the audience roaring to life. Annie stood on the sidelines in school colours, snapping pictures. It was then that he realised she was wearing Tyler’s denim jacket over a yellow dress. Were they already a couple in secret? But Ty would surely tell him, right?

Whatever. Right now, he had to focus on the game. He absorbed coach Maddox’s final pep talk and any other thought went away. They had to fucking win. Gabe assumed his position, taking a deep breath.  _ Let’s go _ . 

Two hours later, the Bulldogs won with a legendary homerun, pitched by Ty and with Luke at bat. The Bulldogs audience cheered for fifteen minutes straight, all jumping around the field and pulling teammates on their shoulders as the losing team sulked away. Take that, Charlotte Sharks! 

Gabe was surrounded by friends hugging him and slapping his shoulder as they shouted their congratulations at him. He couldn’t wait to eat a big, greasy pizza at Wharton’s and talk shit about the Sharks. One more game and they were going to State! How fucking insane would it be to graduate with the title of being the best of the country?! It would definitely help getting into Duke. 

His head whipped around as he heard a distinct yell, just in time to see Annie jump into jersey 17. Tyler twirled her around, a beam glued to his lips. They looked so blissfully happy. Tyler placed her down, keeping their chests close together as her lips moved, inaudible to Gabe. Suddenly, she reached up and kissed his cheek, running away before he could properly react. He seemed stunned. Gabe sauntered up to him, smug smile on his face. What a fool. 

‘I told you so.’

‘Shut the fuck up.’

Later that night, at Wharton’s, he noticed Tyler constantly sneaking glances at Annie who was sitting at the table parallel to them with her friends. Even later, Annie joined them as most have left by now. Even more later, when everyone was engrossed in their own conversations, Annie’s legs were thrown over his lap and he twiddling with the ends of her hair. They never seemed to run out of things to talk about, and if they did, neither cared. Near the end of the night, Gabe noticed Tyler just scrolling through Instagram with Annie, his head on top of hers. 

An outsider would say they were a couple. An insider would say it would happen soon. If only they weren’t so fucking oblivious. 

**3\. CECE**

CeCe Matney didn’t hate Annie Sullivan. She truly didn’t. More so, she hated how “innocent” she was. It was complete bullshit Annie never did anything wrong and that everyone believed her! CeCe couldn’t stand people that had no fire or opinion and just let people walk all over them; but she knew Annie wasn’t like that, even if she pretended to. 

Because Annie had always liked Tyler, and somehow found her way to push CeCe out of the picture and fall right into Ty’s lap. 

Two faced bitch. 

Tyler broke up with her after Kyle’s accident. Instead of spending their summer together, she saw Instagram stories of Annie and her friends with Tyler’s group and it made her teeth grind. She got over it, obviously, and had a great summer with her friends, but it still felt like a kick in the stomach. CeCe was the popular one, not Annie. And  _ yet _ . 

It was a cold night. CeCe and Natalie had gone to the movies and were speeding home, potentially grabbing an ice cream or waffle if they passed the parlour. Taylor Swift was booming through the speakers and she felt happy. Despite the whole Tyler-Annie bull that plagued the periphery of her eye in school, life was good. She was president of the debate club, one of the best cheerleaders, and had Oliver Priestley DM’ing her with every Instagram post. Senior year was good to her. 

‘What did you think of Zac Efron’s role?’, Natalie yelled over the music, zooming past the Serenity sign. 

CeCe nodded to the beat. ‘It was a little shallow but I liked his arc. I think he could’ve played it angrier. What did you think?’

Natalie grinned. ‘I just thought he was hot.’ 

The girls laughed, leaving the suburbs behind and turning into Main Street. It was still lively, bars open and loud, Wharton’s neon sign flickering proudly, Sullivan’s warm light casting a yellow hue on people’s faces, groups smoking outside of convenience stores, teenagers taking over the playground as a hangout spot, and right at the end: the parlour. CeCe tapped Natalie’s arm, pointing at the neon ice cream cone saying: “Sweet Swirls”. 

It was a fairly new establishment, with touch screen boards to order and sleek, hipster-esque furniture. No one was quite qure why Sweet Swirls had taken interest in a place like Serenity, but it drew people like moths to a flame. CeCe knew their waffles were to die for. 

Natalie parked on the side of the road. The girls sang the last of “The Man”, filling her chest with joy because  _ damn _ , these were the moments CeCe cherished. Natalie was a gem. 

They stepped out of the car, still grinning, but like a record scratch used in a movie, CeCe halted in place at the sight in front of her. Her jaw fell slack. 

What the fuck. 

There they were, Tyler and innocent, little Annie. Their eyes were glued to the screen, basked in white light. And as much as they denied it, they looked like a couple. 

_ “Just friends” my ass.  _

Natalie noticed the couple a beat later, jerking her head to CeCe alarmed. 

‘You want to go in or…?’

‘Just,’ she gritted her teeth, ‘wait until they sit down.’

Despite her proposal, she was forced to look at them now. Annie was in front of him, his arms slung around her and chin tucked on her shoulder as he pointed at the screen. She was wearing his Bulldogs crewneck and he had his Adidas slides on. They looked homeless yet somehow exuded the same energy of those couples on Pinterest with the hashtag “streetstyle”. If CeCe was honest with herself, she’d say she was jealous of Annie’s hair. If she was  _ completely  _ honest with herself, she’d say she was jealous of  _ them _ . But part of her didn’t know if it wasn’t just the idea she yearned for (and if she ever even liked Tyler that way). And maybe Annie and Tyler was something that just suddenly fell into place, like finally finding that pesky piece that made a puzzle complete. Maybe Annie never meant to be two-faced. 

If CeCe would be honest with herself, she’d mull on that. She tried not to. It was easier to be angry. 

But Annie and Tyler made sense.  _ Of course  _ they made sense. Somehow, Tyler and her never did. Maybe she should start replying to Oliver’s texts. 

Finally, the pair got their orders from the counter and disappeared behind a corner, probably finding a table. CeCe sighed, happy to get out of the evening cold. Natalie marched up to the touch screen, hungrily staring at all the delicacies. 

‘What do you want?’

‘Uh,’ CeCe tutted her lips, ‘a Belgian waffle with, like, whipped cream. And a chocolate shake.’ 

Natalie nodded, tapping the products. ‘I’m getting caramel ice cream with gummy worms and cookie crumbs. And a s’mores shake.’

CeCe quirked a brow. ‘Hungry?’

‘Shut up.’

As they waited for their ticket to be called, CeCe nudged her. ‘I’m going to the bathroom.’

Luckily, CeCe didn’t pass Tyler or Annie as she made her way to the toilet, probably seated on the first floor or something. But luck only granted her so much, as just as she was done peeing and washing her hands, a cubicle opened, revealing Annie. The girl perked up, surprised, a nervous smile slipping on her face. CeCe rolled her eyes. Fucking great.

‘Oh, uh, hi CeCe.’ Tentatively, Annie walked to a sink, leaving one between them. At least she was smart. 

‘Hey.’

The two remained silent after that, tension settling on them like dust. CeCe took her time, Annie should be the one hurrying. The latter took the hint, rushing through the motions and casting her a last smile as she threw the paper in the bin. 

‘See you at school.’

‘Yeah, bye.’

Annie left. CeCe was upset. For so long she was so mad that Annie stole her boyfriend under the guise of innocence but what if Annie really just meant well? What if  _ Tyler  _ had been the problem? She always blamed Annie, but maybe Tyler was the fool, playing her for whatever reason. She didn’t know what to feel. 

**_desserts are here_ ** Natalie texted her. CeCe took a deep breath, straightened her back like only Matney’s could and left the bathroom. The two left Sweet Swirls and sat in their car, lights on, as they ate their desserts. This was cozier anyway. 

‘I saw her,’ CeCe muttered through cream. God, these waffles were delicious. 

Natalie grimaced. ‘You did?’

‘Yeah. But I’m starting to think Tyler was the problem, not her.’ When Natalie looked confused, CeCe continued. ‘I’m not gonna be friends with her now. Like she’s - no. But, I don’t think it’s fair to her or  _ me  _ to pretend like we’re enemies. I’m not gonna see her next year so like, I’m done feeling like I should be bitchy.’

An amicable pause rested between them, where they both slurped on their shakes and let the words nestle in their brains. CeCe felt relieved. Hating on people, and girls for the matter, was  _ exhausting _ . The debate who’s “fault” it was also felt so juvenile right now. She’d much rather have a discussion on more important topics.

Natalie gave CeCe’s shake a triumphant tap. ‘Cheers to letting go of asshole Tyler and almost graduating!’ 

‘Cheers!’

**4\. CAL**

Tyler was distracted and it was driving Cal insane. State championship was coming up and aside from pitching horribly, he was also going to sleep really late at night according to Maddie. On the one hand, Cal should confront Tyler about this as his behaviour was unacceptable. On the other hand, he didn’t want to “dad” him. It was hard sometimes to know where that line was, where both felt comfortable. As much as he liked Tyler, he would be glad once the boy graduated so he didn’t have to worry about school politics anymore. 

But Tyler was distracted. And Cal didn’t know why. Maddie and Bill have found a good balance, Noreen’s still gone, there wasn’t any apparent tension between teammates - everything was  _ fine _ . Tyler was probably the least problematic kid on the team right now. 

Cal was driving up the faculty parking lot, breathing in the sweet morning Saturday air. As State was approaching, trainings had increased as well. Every Saturday morning, they’d train from 7 to 11 AM, just so that the boys would be back in time for family lunch. (An order of Ms. Lewis) Whatever. It worked. Cal came a bit early that day, 6:30 AM, to get some paperwork done before the boys rowdied up the field. He  _ should’ve  _ done it last night, if it weren’t for an impromptu date planned by Maddie at the spa. He has yet been unable to say no to her.

As he was walking to the office, he noticed Tyler’s car in the student lot. He frowned. Tyler? At practise before he needed to? If he knew anything about Tyler at all, he knew he treasured his sleep  _ a lot _ . Cal got closer and noticed someone sitting in the passenger seat. He halted. Was that… Annie Sullivan? From where he was standing, he could see them, but they couldn’t see him. They were talking simultaneously, shaking in their seats as joy crinkled their eyes. They were singing along. 

Cal was astounded. Tyler - and Annie for the matter - woke up at the crack of dawn to drive around  _ before  _ practise just to hang out. To sing along to something. He puffed, amused. And he thought Gabe and Tyler were best friends; clearly he was wrong. But then something shifted. Suddenly, Tyler leaned in a hair width away from Annie. He couldn’t see his face, but he saw Annie pull a funny expression and push him away, goodnaturedly. Cal should keep walking. This was not for him. Swiftly, he slipped past the car into the building, hoping that if they saw him, they wouldn’t think he had been intruding. 

Did Tyler kiss Annie? Since when were they in a relationship? Maddie hasn’t said anything, neither did the gossip mill whisper something in his ear. Maybe they were dating, or about to be. Maybe they were really close friends, but that seemed implausible based on… well, what he just saw. 

If Cal wasn’t in a committed relationship with Maddie, he wouldn’t be so invested in the sudden awareness of “Tyler and Annie” in the same breath. Should he tell Maddie? Then again, it wasn’t her business. Cal knew how he was back in high school and figured Ty would appreciate it as well if he kept his mouth shut. They were smart kids. No need to worry. 

‘Tyler!’ He heard Annie shriek. Cal looked out of the window onto the field, watching Tyler run after her. 

‘Take it back!’

‘Eat shit!’ 

Lightning fast, Tyler grabbed her by the waist and threw her over his shoulder. Annie squealed and in response, used all her weight to drag them both on the grass. They fell down with a thump and a laugh. Cal smirked, a memory pushed forward of an eighteen year old Cal infatuated by a girl from his class trying to impress her on the field. It was almost déjà vu. 

‘Fine,’ she wheezed. ‘You’re a “great” singer, Tyler!’

‘Nah.’ Cal could barely hear it, their voices softening. ‘I suck.’

The pair sat upright, Cal now noticing she was wearing Ty’s crewneck, and kept talking some more. He looked at the clock. 6:45 AM. The other were about to arrive yet Tyler seemed unbothered. And then it clicked for Cal.

Annie was the distraction. A girl.  _ Of course _ . 

Cal began to be restless, eyes flitting from the paperwork to the pair flirting away on the grass. Annie had to leave. It was a closed practise. If the others saw her, they’d think they could bring their girlfriend or boyfriend along when they should be  _ focusing  _ on State, God damn it. Alright. He had to intervene. 

The second he had his hand on the handle, Annie sprung on her feet and held her phone out. Tyler look alarmed as well, scrambling up and grabbing her hand to get her off the field. The second car arrived on the lot. Cal sighed. At least Annie had some sense of responsibility. 

Tyler walked back five minutes later, stepping onto the bleachers with faux-nonchalance. Now that Cal knew that the cause of his dreamy state was, he knew how to utilise it. Weaponise the infatuation to make him work harder and get results, which was exactly what happened an hour into practise. Tyler was pitching horribly and Cal took him aside. 

‘Tyler, you’re pitching isn’t getting better.’

‘Sorry, coach.’

He decided to give him an out. ‘Is something bothering you?’

Tyler pursed his lips, wiping the sweat from his cheek. ‘No, just nervous I guess.’

‘You have the technique, Tyler. You have the talent. You just got to find something to motivate you. Like beating the enemy. Beating the Tigers! Or, you know,’ he gave him a coy look, ‘something else.’

‘Something else?’ The boy quirked a brow. 

‘Maybe you want to, you know, impress a girl.’

Tyler froze, staring up at him wide-eyed. Cal, amused, saw his brain churning, probably wondering if he knew. Eventually, he nodded. 

‘Good.’

It worked. From one pitch to the other, they were all immaculate. Fast, smooth, sharp. Ones that would make a scout quirk a brow and nod. Harlan cheered as another fell into Gabe’s mitt perfectly. The energy rubbed off on Gabe too. He stopped fumbling the ball and, when it was his turn at bat, had a great swing. Cal was overjoyed.  _ This  _ was the fire they needed for the big game! Who would’ve thought the need to show off to your girl was the trick? He would keep it in the books, just in case. 

At the end of practise, he watched Gabe leave with Tyler. Harlan approached him. 

‘What did you say to him?’

Cal smirked. ‘To impress the girl he liked.’

Harlan laughed. ‘CeCe? I thought that was over.’

‘No, it’s,’ he swallowed her name, ‘someone else. I don’t know who, just had an inkling.’

The men remained silent for a moment, watching the other boys leave. When the field was empty, Harlan asked: ‘Is it Annie?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Knew it.’

**+5. TYLER**

‘No wait,’ Annie mumbled, settling deeper his torso as she tucked her head under his chin. After a Saturday practise, Tyler had gone home to take a quick shower and make the excuse he was hanging out with Gabe. He’d have his back if mom for some reason thought to contact him. Dana Sue was at restaurant, so Annie and him had the entire afternoon to themselves. They were friends, but people always acted oddly when guys and girls were close.

Then again, he didn’t see Annie as a friend. So he kind of understood.

At some point during the summer, between campfires and fireworks and roadtrips and long days at the lake, something shifted. Her smile became a little brighter. Her eyes made his heart beat a little faster. He became antsy if he didn’t see her. He began thinking more and more about that drunken kiss just months prior and wondered what it was like to  _ really  _ kiss her. And then school started yet nothing changed and no one batted an eye at their sudden closeness. Like it was expected. Annie and him hung out more. Sweet Swirls opened and it became “their” spot. She made the odd comment how cute she thought his Bulldogs crewneck was and now it was in her closet and she wore it frequently. 

Tyler knew how it looked to the outside world; he wasn’t dumb. But frankly, he didn’t care. He  _ wanted  _ them to think there was more. He wanted there to  _ be  _ more. 

Tyler was falling hard for Annie, and he hasn’t been slick about it. If their current position said anything, he’d hope she was picking up hints. Her cheek was mushed against his chest and she must be hearing his heart going haywire.

Annie just understood him. In ways Gabe or his mom or Kyle never did. She knew how to push his buttons (in a good way) and make him smile and saw whenever that smile was fake. He always thought it was “girly” to feel so wholly, but Tyler never wanted that feeling to stop. It was  _ exhilarating _ . It was like pitching the perfect ball. 

The only thing he was scared of was that she didn’t feel the same. 

Annie pressed play on “The Internship”, previously claiming it was totally not because of Dylan O’Brien and slipped her hand around his body. His fingers trailed across her arm, finding the ends of her hair and twisting them. Tyler took a deep breath. He was on cloud nine. 

His eyes lulled open as he heard Annie speak. Drowsy, he turned his head. He fell asleep? How much of the movie did he miss? She had paused it, seemingly in the middle. Damn, he had been way too comfortable. He smacked his lips. 

‘Hm?’ 

Annie giggled. ‘Asleep?’

‘Sorry.’

‘It’s okay.’

The flush on her cheeks told him otherwise, he straightened up a bit. ‘What were you saying?’

‘It’s nothing.’ Annie pressed play, he pressed pause. She fixed him a look and he stared right back. 

He squeezed her hand. ‘I wanna know.’

Annie averted her gaze, her expression pinched and troubled as she stared at Vince Vaughn’s face. Tyler’s heart rate quickened. Was she ending… whatever they had? They weren’t officially dating, but just two weeks ago they went on an icecream run to Sweet Swirls with her wearing his crewneck and it had oddly felt like a date. Maybe it freaked her out. Maybe  _ he  _ freaked her out. She did push him away when he almost kissed her that morning...

‘What are we?’ Her crisp tone broke through his thoughts. Tyler blinked. Annie looked guarded, pulling herself away from his body and crossing her arms. It was  _ her  _ bedroom, yet she seemed ready to flee. What were they? They were… they were them. 

‘We’re...’ He didn’t know how to finish his sentence. 

She sighed, hazel locking with blue. ‘Do you like me?’

Tyler wanted to laugh. Hadn’t he been obvious? Didn’t him crooning along to that song she loved so much that morning in the car say enough? When he came so close? Didn’t him giving her his crewneck was a big “I LIKE YOU” in the face? A room full of people was empty unless she was there. Ever since August he’d been trying to get closer and really prove himself this time. He knew he fucked up last spring. Did Annie really doubt how he felt? To him, his feelings for her felt… inevitable. 

He breathed the words with a nervous smile. ‘I think I’ve always liked you.’

Annie’s face lit up with fondness, softening as she leaned forward. His eyes roved across her face, trying to take it all in. ‘Really?’

His index finger traced her jaw, eyes heavy-lidded and transfixed on her and just her.

‘Yeah.’

Annie grabbed onto his hoodie, a teasing smile that made his mind go blank as she whispered five words against his lips. ‘Don’t stop liking me, please.’

He grinned. Their noses nudged. ‘I wouldn’t know how.’ 

‘Good.’ 

In a hurried manner, as if they couldn't help themselves anymore, their lips met.  _ Finally _ . He kissed her deeply, languid. Warmth spread from his chest to his spine, his hands cradling her neck and hair and when she smiled against his lips he knew he was done for. The kisses became more passionate, hot and open. Her fingers raked his strands of hair, pulling him even closer. Was this what kissing was always supposed to feel like? 

‘I think we’re dating,’ he exhaled, foreheads touching. Her face was flushed and eyes so dark and wide that it rattled him. 

Tyler was probably halfway in love with her. 

‘I’d like that.’

‘Yeah?

Annie hummed, a mischievous glint in her eye. ‘Now I can finally wear your sweater to school.’ 

‘Funny.’

‘Thank you.’ She paused. The next was barely audible, as if it were a secret. ‘I like you.’

Tyler pecked her lips three more times, not getting enough. She grinned.

Yeah. He could get used to this. 


End file.
